Aside from barricading yourself inside a cozy cabin for five months, what can you do to warm up? Certain foods are considered thermogenic (also known as diet-induced thermogenesis): meaning as the food is digested it raises the body temperature. Obvious suggestions are to eat soups, stews and broth to keep warm-other ways to increase body temperature would be to incorporate foods that do the work internally during digestion. The following foods are excellent choices to keep old man winter at bay and warm up your body.
‘That’s a Spicy Meat-a-Ball!’
Hot peppers-the capsicum family-heat up your core body temperature. Capsaicin is the active compound that heats us up, so the more capsaicin consumed the more you will warm up. Caution is warranted when using them in recipes: habanero peppers are at the top of the hot list, so only the brave and seasoned should try these! Steam shooting out your ears and sweat pouring down your forehead is not an exaggeration…however the less aggressive peppers can be incorporated into soups and sauces. Ginger-considered a warming food and also helpful for stomach upsets-is a wonderful addition to recipes. Fresh ginger and lemon makes a very soothing tea that also activates thermogenesis.
